+Frank B. 7,104

BBC Sport is profiling 20 of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time. The BBC F1 team were asked to provide their own personal top 20s, which were combined to produce a BBC list. Veteran commentator Murray Walker provides his own reflections in a video of their career highlights, and chief F1 writer Andrew Benson profiles the driver. This week, number one - Ayrton Senna.

The greatness of the man and the brilliance of his driving is remembered easily, the occasional darkness of his psyche perhaps less so.

But it does Senna a disservice to honour only part of his legacy. The significance of his achievements cannot be properly understood without a full appreciation of their origins.

Probably no driver in Formula 1 history dedicated himself more to his sport, gave more of himself in the unbending pursuit of success.

Senna was a force of nature, a powerful combination of spectacular raw talent and sometimes terrifying determination.

He had the good looks of a romantic hero, a charisma that could quieten any room, the eloquence of a poet and a spirituality with which millions felt they could identify.

His dark eyes were windows to a soul of complexity and volatility.

All that made him into a demi-god in his homeland of Brazil, and admired the world over like few sportsmen before or since.

But with that determination, and his own knowledge of just how good he was, came a sense of entitlement that was less attractive and which led him to take actions that put his own life - and the lives of his opponents - at risk.

+The Evil Overlord 17,398

I thought he was a very capable driver, but I do believe he was the greatest? No, the legacy was over romanticised, but that's because I think Nigel Mansell was the greatest F1 driver, though I do agree with what you said, a Senna vs Schumacker duel would have been very entertaining to watch, seeing as both drivers have been known for their sometimes underhanded tactics

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+Frank B. 7,104

+Frank B. 7,104

I thought he was a very capable driver, but I do believe he was the greatest? No, the legacy was over romanticised, but that's because I think Nigel Mansell was the greatest F1 driver, though I do agree with what you said, a Senna vs Schumacker duel would have been very entertaining to watch, seeing as both drivers have been known for their sometimes underhanded tactics

Mansell? Oh come on. There are many drivers I'm rating a lot higher than the whinging Brummy - Clark, Fangio, Prost, Lauda, Schumacher, Villeneuve Sr to name but a few.

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testman 54

I thought he was a very capable driver, but I do believe he was the greatest? No, the legacy was over romanticised, but that's because I think Nigel Mansell was the greatest F1 driver, though I do agree with what you said, a Senna vs Schumacker duel would have been very entertaining to watch, seeing as both drivers have been known for their sometimes underhanded tactics

You do know they both raced against each other in past F1 championships?

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+Frank B. 7,104

You do know they both raced against each other in past F1 championships?

They did from 1991 until early 1994, sure. Still: the best part of a Senna/Schumacher rivalry was only about to start in 1994. Take the question of who would have driven for whom for instance - it's an open secret that Senna wanted to join Ferrari after his two-year Williams contract runs out. Where would this have left Schumacher?